Central America Grilled Snapper

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MICHAEL LEICHT

At Primal Ocean Adventures, I take fellow spearos out to find their dream fish at the beautiful Channel Islands National Park and beyond. We are currently developing specialized spearfishing gloves meant for the colder waters around California, with the durability to withstand intense underwater reef foraging.

Central America Grilled Snapper

Down in Costa Rica, a lot of cooking is done over wood coals and banana leaves are a common resource for wrapping and plating food. When a local woman prepared my catch of the day with this recipe, I was so impressed with the honest yet powerful flavor that I had to try it for myself.

I froze my largest fish from that trip and cooked it up in the same style for my family back in California.

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Central America Grilled Snapper

Michael Leicht

Quick and easy, you are steaming the fish in banana leaves or aluminum foil over the grill with simple yet powerful flavors.

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Species: Dog Snapper

Part: Whole

Course: Mains

Category: Grilled

Continent: North America

Country: Costa Rica

Prep Time: 1 hour hr

Cook Time: 2 hours hrs

Total Time: 3 hours hrs

Servings: 6

Equipment

• ▢
  Wood fired BBQ
• ▢
  Knife or food processor
• ▢
  Banana leaves and/or foil
• ▢
  Wire

Ingredients

• ▢ One or two fresh tomatoes
• ▢ Half a sweet onion
• ▢ 5 Fresh garlic cloves
• ▢ Salt
• ▢ Pepper
• ▢ Olive oil or other fat

Instructions 

• Start your wood fire to develop coals.
• Finely mince or blend in a food processor all vegetables.
  One or two fresh tomatoes

  Half a sweet onion

  5 Fresh garlic cloves
• Lay your cleaned and scaled fish out on some large banana leaves and score fish with a knife.
• Coat in the liquidy minced vegetables.
• Sprinkle salt and pepper
  Salt

  Pepper
• Drizzle with oil, get both sides and cavity.
  Olive oil or other fat
• Wrap in banana leaves and secure with wire. If your banana leaves are ripped or not integral, add an outer layer of aluminum foil.
• Place your wrapped fish over the coal bed. Depending on the size of your fish, cook for up to 40 minutes at medium heat, then cook other side for similar time, adding more coals from a separate fire if necessary.
• Check for flaking meat and serve on top of squares of banana leaves for presentation.
• Traditional side dishes would include fried plantains and 'gallo pinto'.

Notes

• Try this recipe with other species such as:
  • Cubera Snapper
  • Mutton Snapper
  • Black Grouper

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